Veterans Affairs Residency Program Received Accreditation

The year-long residency program is the result of a partnership between MRVAMC and the University of Florida College of Nursing. In it, new BSN graduates are paired with preceptors and mentors to provide a structured transition to their career.

Accreditation by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education makes this the first-ever nurse residency at a VA facility to receive this distinction.

Thomas Cappello, north Florida/south Georgia veterans health system director, said he believes that accreditation provides “national recognition of the quality of the residency and further strengthens” the organization’s nurse residency program.

According to university officials, the partnership program is a part of a five-year, $5 million-plus pilot initiative designed in part to address the need for more nursing students and faculty. High turnover rates in the healthcare industry can negatively affect workers and patients alike.

Data from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing indicates that more than 75 percent of registered nurses believe the shortage of healthcare workers will have an impact on the quality of their work life and patient care.